Andrea Bocelli In Concert with Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, with Cristina Pasaroiu, soprano; Edward Parks, baritone; Pia Toscano, vocalist; Rusanda Panfili, violin; University of Toronto’s MacMillan Singers; Steven Mercurio, conductor. TD Coliseum, Hamilton, ON. December 9, 2025.
He has performed for popes, royalty and presidents. Sung at international events like the Olympics, Expo, Formula One and FIFA World Cup. Collaborated with the best and most respected classical and pop artists of our times. And sold over 90 million records worldwide.
Andrea Bocelli’s impressive resume goes on and on. But, he is first and foremost a classical tenor, endorsed even by the great Luciano Pavarotti.
Tuesday’s concert at Hamilton’s TD Coliseum was his only Canadian stop on his 2025 world tour. The two-hour program was a collection of opera arias and beloved popular ballads in Italian, French, German, English and Latin.
Bocelli is a man of few words. Even when the only sentence he said was, “It is my privilege to be here for the first time in Hamilton” — he instantly captured our hearts and that was all we needed to hear.
First Half
The first half of the program was introduced with a video compilation of the 67-year-old’s appearances in many famous opera lead roles.
From the shimmering first notes of “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto, we were reminded that he still has the same operatic prowess that defined the beginnings of his career. His signature warm tenor with that unique, instantly recognizable timbre was a soul-soothing balm. He could still belt out a prolonged high C with ease in Il Trovatore’s “Di quella pira.”
Bocelli is known to invite guest artists to his concerts. There was no Matteo or Virginia this time, but he brought in Romanian soprano Cristina Pasaroiu and American baritone Edward Parks for extra operatic power. Pasaroiu delivered a mesmerizing solo of “Mein Lippen” from Giuditta with a velvety instrument and crystalline tone. She was also a perfect Violetta in her duet with Bocelli in La Traviata’s “Brindisi.”
Parks performed the most famous baritone aria of all times, “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville, with plenty of humourous flair. Predictably, this was followed by the equally famous tenor and baritone duet, “Au fond du temple saint” from The Pearl Fishers. In a moment reminiscent of The Three Tenors, Bocelli and Parks held the piece’s last high note for a full 15 seconds.
Providing background accompaniment were the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Toronto’s MacMillan Singers, under the direction of American conductor Steven Mercurio. Both the HPO and MacMillan Singers are high calibre ensembles in their own right. If there was a weak link, it would be the imbalance amongst the voices that was made worse when amplified through microphones, and between the choir and the orchestra. The orchestra was so loud that “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana turned into a shouting match between the two ensembles.
Second Half
The more substantial second half was an eclectic mix of familiar pieces. Moldovan-born violinist Rusanda Panfili delighted with electrifying arrangements of “Carol of the Bells” and music from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Bocelli and American pop artist Pia Toscano performed two duets: “Can’t help falling in love” and “Vivo per lei,” the latter being one of Bocelli’s most popular numbers. Although Toscano’s very expressive stage presence seemed a mismatch to Bocelli’s reserved style, her solo of “All by myself” came close to rivalling Celine Dion’s version.
Back to Bocelli, he charmed us with a few of his famous Italian songs like “Canto della terra,” and he even showed off his flute-playing with “Non ti scodar di me.” As expected, there were the seasonal Christmas songs, and he chose the most classic ones. “Adeste fideles” (O come all ye faithful) and “Minuit, chrétiens” (O Holy Night) were sung with simple purity.
It could be said that Bocelli’s singing was more about power than emotions. I yearned to hear more tenderness, nuance and range of colours in his voice. But when he performed his own composition of “Ave Maria,” which he explained was inspired by his return to faith and spirituality during the pandemic, it was clearly his most heartfelt and stirring delivery of the evening.
Final Thoughts
Although he has been criticized by some for his lack of technical strength and operatic rigour of traditional tenors, as well as his crossover dilution, there is no doubt of his universal appeal to diverse musical tastes by successfully bridging classical and contemporary styles.
His personal journey adds elements of hope and inspiration that transcend his musical talent. Sure, there were a few tuning misses and delayed entries that would not escape a trained ear, but even as a reviewer, I stopped listening for flaws when I was enjoying every minute of it. As a performer, he was the whole package without needing the packaging. While his recordings are sublime, hearing him live was an incredibly uplifting and extraordinary experience.
After many rounds of standing ovations and cheers from the very enthusiastic crowd, Bocelli rewarded us with a few encores. There would certainly have been a riot if he didn’t sing “Con te partirò,” his best-selling single of all times. When we thought nothing else could top that, he gave us the most magnificent finale, Turandot’s “Nessun dorma.” Holding the last high B of “vincerò” for a whopping 12 seconds, he brought the house down one last time.
Andrea, we could not get enough of you. We can’t wait for you to come back to Ontario again soon!
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